


Tattoo

by kugure



Series: 810 [2]
Category: Number24 (Anime)
Genre: M/M, Self-Indulgent, unbeated
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:54:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24507265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kugure/pseuds/kugure
Summary: Kazutaka wasn't mad that Ibuki got a tattoo. What irked him was the fact that he hid it from him.
Relationships: Hongou Kazutaka/Ueoka Ibuki
Series: 810 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1770802
Comments: 8
Kudos: 32





	Tattoo

Ibuki got a tattoo. Kazutaka was aware of it. He had seen him in a state of undress multiple times. Kazutaka loved to map every inch of his skin with his fingers, lips and tongue, so of course he noticed the appearance of bandage on his chest, especially when it was placed in such an obvious area like that; right above his heart. 

The tattoo was new. Since Kazutaka only saw the bandage covering it three days ago. He asked what it was and Ibuki only gave him a smile and a short answer of, "Tattoo," before he changed the topic of conversation. Kazutaka tried to bright it up again and asked what the tattoo was and why he got it, but Ibuki clearly didn't want to talk about it.

Kazutaka wasn't mad that Ibuki got a tattoo. What irked him was the fact that he  _ hid _ it from him. He wouldn't mind if the tattoo was bad. Or something ridiculous he got after a dare with Natsusa—the two did stupid dares quite a lot anyway, but since one of them was getting him into a relationship with Ibuki, he didn't mind it much—but  _ why the hell Ibuki hid it from him? _

Kazutaka gave Ibuki a week to tell him what the tattoo was about, but unfortunately his boyfriend didn't budge. So, Kazutaka had to do something drastic. 

Ibuki was now lounging on his couch, eating chips while watching a rugby match on TV and Kazutaka dropped himself next to him. He then reached the edge of Ibuki's shirt to lift it up, but before he could do that, Ibuki already caught his wrist and held him in place. Kazutaka could easily shrugged Ibuki's hand and kept going, but he saw the panic look on Ibuki's face so he put away his hand. 

"Why," was what Kazutaka asked after. He needed to get it out of his chest. He didn't like this. He knew Ibuki could have secrets, that he didn't need to tell him anything, but the way he always looked nervous whenever Kazutaka was around after he got that tattoo drove him crazy. 

Ibuki didn't answer immediately, just biting his lower lip and then he sighed. He still had his hand around Kazutaka's wrist, now playing with his hair band which was still attached there. Kazutaka never really took it off unless he was in the shower, practices or matches. But as Kazutaka watched his boyfriend, he understood that he would never get an answer to that question.

Kazutaka was about to say that it was okay if Ibuki didn't want to answer, that he would deal with it himself, but Ibuki opened his mouth and said, "It's not that I don't want to tell you." 

Kazutaka raised an eyebrow at that.

"I just don't want to freak you out." 

Kazutaka furrowed his eyebrows now, didn't really catch what Ibuki meant by that. 

Ibuki sighed. "Fine. Just—please don't freak out." And then without further warning, he took off his shirt, and Kazutaka could see the tattoo clearly now. 

The black ink contrasted with Ibuki's pale skin beautifully, and even though the guy was blushing hard now, down to his chest, it still looked beautiful. Kazutaka expected something ridiculous, but instead, he found he was actually looking at a simple number '8' tattoo. It wasn't something Ibuki should be embarrassed about, he thought. 

He looked up—to find Ibuki was looking at him nervously still—and wordlessly conveyed that thought to him. 

"I know it looks cool and not embarrassing," Ibuki said, somehow managing to understand what Kazutaka meant with the look he gave him—one of the best qualities he liked about Ibuki. Kazutaka didn't have to say much around him and he would understand it still. "But you seriously don't get it?" Ibuki asked again, now didn't blush as much and just looked at Kazutaka, a little disbelieved. 

"No." 

"Seriously? Even Natsusa said it's too much."

Kazutaka stared at the tattoo again. "Eight is my jersey number." 

"Yes."

Kazutaka still didn't know what was _ too much _ about it. If Ibuki wanted to get his jersey number tattooed on his chest right above his heart— _ oh.  _

Ibuki seemed to realize when Kazutaka finally _ understood  _ what was implied and he blushed again. 

"That's why I don't want you to see it. It's just—we've only been together for three months. I don't want to freak you out." 

"Why did you get this tattoo?"

Ibuki looked like he didn't want to answer, but in the end he resigned because he realized that at this point he got nothing to hide anymore. "I wasn't drunk or anything when I got this, so don't worry. I decided on it completely sober. It's just that one morning I woke up right next to you, overwhelmed with  _ the feeling _ and I know I should do something about it. It wasn't until the tattoo was finished that I realized that I never even said the words  _ out loud  _ to you, for fuck sake. Instead, I just straight up tattooed  _ your  _ jersey number on top of my heart. That messed up, as Natsusa kindly pointed it to me. Thus why I tried to hide it from you. I guess you'd freak out." 

Kazutaka didn't say anything, but then he reached out and brushed the tattoo with the tip of his finger. He felt Ibuki shivered a little at the gentle touch and he even heard his breath hitched. "Do I look like I'm freaking out now?" 

Ibuki blinked at him. "Er… somehow no?" 

Kazutaka smirked at those words and leaned into Ibuki's space further. Ibuki didn't push him away, but he looked at him confusedly. 

"Why aren't you freaking out, Kazu?" 

Kazutaka kept his gaze locked into Ibuki's eyes as he answered, "Because—" 

*

The next day, Kazutaka walked out of the tattoo parlor with a new tattoo of number '10' on his chest in the exact same location as Ibuki's, holding his boyfriend's hand as they walked back to the station. Ibuki was grinning next to him. 

"God, we're that kind of couple who got matching tattoos," Ibuki commented, chuckling a little to himself. "We're so cheesy." 

Kazutaka didn't say anything in response, just brought Ibuki's hand to his mouth so he could kiss his knuckle. 

Cheesy didn't mean their feelings weren't true after all. 

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to hit me up on my [tumblr](http://grettalks.tumblr.com/) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/grettalks?s=09).


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